Handguns are in widespread use, both by law enforcement agencies and by people who carry guns for their own protection. Inadvertent discharge of such handguns frequently occurs through mishandling of a gun in a casual manner by someone who is unaware that the gun is in firing condition (chamber loaded). Devices have been designed to lock the trigger of a gun against inadvertent actuation. Such devices include safety locks built into the guns, as well as slide buttons in the rear of the trigger guard. Some devices employ locks with keys. Others are cumbersome and difficult to use.
A number of devices have been proposed for trigger blocks of the type intended to prevent intentional misuse or unauthorized use of handguns. Blocks of this type are not really locks in the sense that they prevent unauthorized use; but such trigger blocks operate primarily as safety devices. Blocks of this type are particularly desirable for guns carried by police officers. Some trigger block devices are in the form of wedges which are placed behind the trigger, between the trigger and the trigger guard. These wedges then are pushed out of the way when the gun is to be fired. Other safety blocks include plates which are engaged by the finger of the user to rotate or release the plates in order to ready the gun for firing.
A danger, particularly with respect to handguns, occurs when such handguns are stored at home or brought home by a law enforcement officer. Children are very curious about handguns, and even though admonished not to do so, they will pick up and handle a handgun if it is accessible to them. Consequently, there has been a great interest in providing locks which prevent the operation of the handgun and prevent operation of the trigger to fire the handgun.
One type of trigger safety device, which functions to prevent use of a handgun is disclosed in the Langner U.S. Pat. No. 5,724,760. The Langner patent discloses a trigger block devices, which primarily is designed as a block to be placed behind the trigger of the handgun at all times, and which readily may be moved out of engagement with the trigger when the handgun is desired to be used. The Langner block, however, also includes a projection beyond one side of the trigger with a hole through it. A small padlock may be placed through this hole, which then prevents movement of the block from behind the trigger, since the padlock engages the trigger guard and trigger if an effort is made to push the trigger block out of the space behind the trigger. The other side of the trigger is covered by a flange attached to the block; so that it cannot be moved in the opposite direction. A disadvantage of the device shown in the Langner patent, however, is the requirement for the extra padlock, which must be inserted through the hole in the projecting part of the trigger block in order to lock the device in place. A separate key, as well as the separate padlock, must be employed. If the padlock should be misplaced, the trigger block still may be used; but the safety locking feature clearly would be missing.
Another trigger blocking and locking mechanism for insertion behind the trigger of a handgun is disclosed in the Mossberg U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,212. In the Mossberg device, a composite trigger and firearm lock assembly includes, in part, a trigger block which is inserted behind the trigger of the firearm. This trigger block includes a flange on one side and an extension perpendicular to the flange, configured to fit behind the curved rear surface of the trigger of the firearm. The extension in the Mossberg device is uniform in cross section throughout its length; and it extends from the side of the flange and the trigger guard when the device is inserted past the trigger and beyond the trigger guard on the opposite side. A hole is provided through the extension for insertion of a locking cable, which then is used to prevent removal of the Mossberg device and use of the gun when the trigger is to be "locked", relatively permanently, against use.
Other types of trigger locks have been designed in the form of devices which place a bar in front of the trigger. This makes the locking device itself dangerous to use, because of the potential of the locking bar itself actuating the trigger during installation. Conventional trigger locks of this type usually come with an instruction which warns the user to "unload gun prior to use". If that warning is not heeded an accidental discharge can occur. Even if the warning is heeded, accidents are prone to happen when unloading and loading a firearm to install such trigger locks.
It is desirable to provide a simple to use, compact and effective trigger lock which may be used on a loaded gun, as well as unloaded guns, and which is simple in construction and effectively prevents unauthorized removal.